The present invention relates to an ignition distributor rotor and, more specifically, to a radio frequency interference suppressing ignition distributor rotor.
Various studies have shown that one of the sources of motor vehicle radio frequency interference radiation is the breakdown of the arc gap between the output tip surface of the ignition distributor rotor output segment and each of the circumferentially disposed distributor cap output terminals. The arc gap is generally termed the "distributor gap" and hereinafter will be so referred to.
These studies indicate that the higher the voltage required to breakdown the distributor gap, the greater is the radio frequency interference radiation and consequently, that the radio frequency interference generated across the distributor gap is substantially reduced with a reduction of the distributor gap breakdown voltage. One way of reducing the radio frequency interference radiation generated across the distributor gap, therefore, is to reduce the magnitude of distributor gap breakdown voltage. The distributor gap breakdown voltage may be reduced by enhancing thermionic emission or by producing a higher electric field intensity in the vicinity of the distributor gap.